Another Cinderella Story
by IluvShika45
Summary: A Cinderella story with the Naruto charaters. Full explaination and pairings inside.
1. Chapter 1

_**Another Cinderella Story**_

**Summary:** A Cinderella story with the Naruto characters. It is going to be pretty much like the original story but with a modern twist. Pairings: N/H S/S S/I

_This is just a random fairy tale like story I came up with, it's gonna be ANOTHER weird slightly modern Cinderella story with Sasuke as the prince, Sakura as Cinderella (her name will be Sakura though because I will get confused) Ino as a kitchen maid in Sakura's home, Karin and Mimi as the evil stepsisters, Tsunade as the fairy godmother, Anko as the evil stepmother, (Idk why I choose her, she's going to be very out of character, but I couldn't really think of anyone else sry!) Naruto as a servant in Sasuke's castle, Hinata as another princess, Shikamaru as the bus boy in the kitchen at Sakura's home, and Hinata and Sasuke's parents as the King and Queen. (Of the different lands of course)_

**I will probably make this several chapters, since what I have planned would make a VERY long one-shot. So I hope you like this story, PLZ R&R!!!**

_________________________________________________________________

"Sakura!!!! GET UP NOW! YOU HAVE TO MAKE MY BREAKFAST!!!" Anko yelled.

Sakura groaned and got out of her flat mattress and put on her ratty old robe. For some reason, she had to get up early and make her stepmother her breakfast, even though Anko didn't eat half of it anyway! She slowly trudged down the stairs. Sakura noticed a picture on the wall at the base of the stairs, she choked back tears. It was a picture of her and her father, before Anko, Mimi, and Karin, before her mother died of cancer, and before he died in a car crash, leaving Sakura in this hellhole.

"I'm coming, Anko!" She called, wiping her bright green eyes and sticking her pink hair behind her ears.

"God Sakura!! You don't have to yell! I'm trying to get my beauty sleep!" Karin screamed, sticking her bright orange red head out of her room. "Actually, since I'm _so _pretty and you already woke me up, Ill just come eat too!" She stroked her 'pretty' face. Sakura tried not to wince as Karin came up to her.

If sleeping would help you become more beautiful, Karin would have to sleep for several years to become as pretty as Sakura. Without all the products and makeup she pounds up onto her face, she has very pasty white skin, with red puss-filled pimples all over her face. Karin glared at Sakura with her beety black-gray eyes; she snorted her piggy snort and flipped her red hair as she flounced down the stairs.

Mimi, her younger sister, quickly came out of her room and followed Karin. Mimi was always tagging along with Karin and acting just like her. Mimi had gone way overboard when Karin and her friends had decided they would all dye their hair. Karin's hair had been a slightly pretty red but when she had blonde highlights, they ended up turning a horrible bloody red. Mimi got tan-blonde and black speckled highlights, so with her dull, mousy brown colored hair; it became a washed-out looking color. That, paired with her gray eyes, made Mimi very plain and unimportant looking.

Sakura finally made it into the dining area; she hated this huge house that Anko had bought with her father's life insurance, she got lost all the time. "So what do you all want?" Sakura asked as the kitchen maid, Ino, came into the dining area to help her cook.

"I will have my diet smoothie and a slice of toast." Anko said as she sat down at the table. She was wearing her silky pajamas and robe. _How is she not freezing? _Sakura thought _those pjs can't be warm!_

"I'll have water and one of my granola bars." Karin said, leaning back in her chair._ Go ahead and starve yourself. _Sakura thought, trying not to roll her eyes.

"I want the same as Karin." Mimi giggled. _Of course. She just HAS to be exactly like Karin._

"Ok." Sakura said as she followed Ino into the kitchen.

It was a mean thing to say, but she was positive that her stepmother and stepsisters were sluts. Anko had clearly spent several thousand dollars from her first three husband's wallets to make all three girl's boobs HUGE. Sakura had heard Karin bragging to her friends that she was now a C-cup and Mimi was just a size lower, and Anko had gotten upgraded to D-cups. They were always flirting with every guy they thought was even remotely cute. Sakura saw Anko giggling and bouncing and flirting with a guy that looked 20, while her father was still married to her! Several times Anko has tried to convince guys she was Sakura, Karin and Mimi's sister, as if the makeup could make her look 22 like Sakura, 20 like Karin, or 19 like Mimi. They always were wearing the tightest dresses and shortest ones. The boys that would have never acknowledged them would stare, drooling as they flounced past them. Anko would flip her dyed platinum blonde hair and all they guys would ask for her number.

"I can't believe these women!" Ino complained, pulling her blonde hair up in a ponytail. Even though they could afford it, Anko wouldn't pay another cook, she would rather make Sakura do it. "Why do they need us to get up at the crack of dawn to pour juice and take a granola bar out of a box?!" Sakura sighed.

"I don't know, Ino. Just please, let's get this over with so I can get a start cleaning." Sakura said. Ino complained every day, Sakura had given up listening.

"You know what?" Ino exclaimed, her blue eyes lighting up. "We should get married!"

"What?!" Sakura gasped, spinning around.

"We should marry someone and get out of here!"

"No way! Who would marry a bunch of poor kitchen maids?" Sakura said, shaking her head. Ino put some bread in the toaster.

"Well, I know Shikamaru has been pining after me for some time…" She giggled.

"Yeah sure, Ino." Shikamaru said from the other side of the busy kitchen, filled with several servants cooking a lunch banquet that Anko was having were both she and her daughters wouldn't eat a thing in front of the guys she invited. "Even if I did marry you-which I'm not saying I will-we would still be stuck here, I don't have any money either!"

"Dang it." Ino pouted. Sakura rolled her eyes.

It wasn't like she didn't want to get married and finally leave, but there was no way Anko would loose her only no-pay cook. And, Karin and Mimi would be the first she would try to marry off. Where would she find someone to marry, where was her knight in shining armor? Who would like her anyway?

"Sakura! Are you finished with our breakfast?!" Anko yelled. Sakura groaned and carried the food into the dining area, banishing thoughts of a knight in shining armor from her mind.

_________________________________________________________________

**There's my first chapter! I had the idea for this for quite awhile so I decided to just write it down today. So there are going to be several chapters and more couples that just S/S. Enjoy! **


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two_

**This is going to have Sasuke and Naruto in the Uchiha castle in Konaha, which is where Ino, Sakura, and Ino live. Hinata lives in the Hyuuga castle in the Sound Village. (I chose that place at random) I'll have Hinata in the next chapter after this. Plz read and review! I want to hear what you guys think!**

_________________________________________________________________

"Master Sasuke, it is time to wake up, I have your breakfast."

Sasuke grunted and rolled over in his huge bed to face his servant, Charles. "Alright, I'm getting up." He sighed and took the tray of his favorite omelet and fresh orange juice from the orchard outside, both in gold platters.

"Good day, Master Sasuke." Charles said, bowing as he left.

After he finished eating and put on his royal gown, Sasuke stared at himself in the mirror. His hair was long and reached his shoulders, but it was so thick and frizzy, he hated it so much. His parents insisted that he have chicken fat put in it so it would stick down straight like his brother Itachi's, which he thought was stupid, he wanted it cut short. His dark eyes looked mysterious, so that, with his hair (which everyone else seemed to like) and his lean, muscular form, made him the guy all the girls wanted to chase after.

He didn't really want to be a prince. He had no freedom! His parents decided everything for him, and even when he became king, he would never have the time to enjoy his freedom!

"Hey Sasuke!" His best, and really only friend, Naruto came running into his room. He was the only one who liked Sasuke for who he was, not because he was the prince. "Your parents wanna talk to you!"

"You're a horrible messenger, you know that?" Sasuke laughed.

"Fine," Naruto chuckled "I'll be more serious!" He stood up straight and put on a blank face. "Master Sasuke, your father and mother, the King and Queen, request that you come and speak with them."

Sasuke doubled over, laughing at the blonde's voice. "Alright, alright, I'm coming."

Naruto followed Sasuke down the hall and into the foyer, where the King and Queen spent all their time, planning attacks and laws.

"Good morning, Father, Mother." Sasuke said, bowing to both of them. They acknowledged him with a nod, but neither looked up from the parchment they were reading. Finally they glanced up at him. His mother stood up from her throne and walked over to Sasuke. She fiddled around with his hair and adjusted his clothes as usual. When she was satisfied she went back to her throne next to the King.

"Morning, Sasuke!" The Queen said cheerily.

"Lilia," The King said sternly, "we need to be serious about this. This is a very important matter!"

"Yes, I know Takaku." She sighed. (I randomly decided their names.)

"Look, son. I'll just make this short. You are 21 years old, when you become 22 next week, you will have become of age to take the throne, right?"

"Yes." Said Sasuke warily. He had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"This," Takaku said, holding up the parchment, "is a letter from the King and Queen of the Sound Village. They said that their daughter, Hinata, is of age to be married. You must find someone to marry by your coronation to be your queen, or you will be pasted over, and Itachi will assume role of the king when he becomes of age. (In this fic Itachi is younger, 19 years old) There is your coronation ball in three days, if you do not find a woman at your ball that you would consider marrying, or someone by the coronation, you _will _marry Hinata Hyuuga."

Sasuke's mouth dropped open, no sound coming out. _Passed over? I have one week to find someone? Coronation ball?? I'll have to…MARRY her??_

He had met Hinata, she was pretty, but she was so quiet and boring to him.

"I-i…I need to think." Sasuke whispered softly, staring at his feet. Before Takaku or Lilia could say anything, Sasuke ran from the room, not noticing Naruto's look of total shock as Sasuke passed him. (He was spying and heard the whole thing) He burst though the huge door that lead out into the forest, his favorite place to go. He ran and ran and just kept going, anything to escape the torrent of thoughts whirling in his head.

_________________________________________________________________

**Ok PLZ don't kill me for the S/H thing, they will NOT be together so don't worry. I realize that there wasn't a lot of stuff with Naruto in there, but I'll try to have more of him, Ino, and Shikamaru in some of the next chapters. That was kinda short but I'll try to make them longer. Hope you liked it! I might not update for awhile since school is tomorrow, but I will as soon as possible! Plz R&R!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three_

**Here it is! I hope you guys like this one, it won't be very long I think cuz I don't have much to say about Hinata. So plz review, yada yada, tell your friends….and stuff. **

_________________________________________________________________

Hinata sat in the hard, straight-backed chair and winced as her maids fixed her hair and makeup.

"So sorry Madam Hinata." Tenten, her lady-in-waiting, said as she pulled Hinata's hair into a tight bun. "There, finished." She said, stepping back from the chair.

Hinata continued to look at her reflection in the mirror, not moving even when her maids bowed and left the room. Hinata sighed, examining herself.

She ran her hand though her dark, bluish hair, and blinked her violet eyes.

Tenten recognized that look she was giving herself. "Hinata, don't look like that! You are beautiful and I would love to have pretty eyes like yours!" Tenten sighed. Hinata looked down at her huge, itchy, and very heavy dress. Then she looked at Tenten's thin and very flattering maid's outfit. She was used to this routine, Tenten was always saying she was pretty, but having a friend say that wasn't the same as having a boy, especially one you liked, tell you that. Hinata had never been with a boy, she had never kissed one. You were not supposed to kiss anyone other than your betrothed, but most princesses and princes would anyway. She had never even dated, her father had introduced her to many princes, but they were all full of themselves and thought that a silent wife who never spoke to them would be a good choice. Her mother was kind enough to see that she needed a man who would love her and listen to her, so they were all rejected. Tenten, however, could date whoever she wanted, and do just about whatever she wanted. Right now, Tenten had fallen in love with Hinata's cousin, Neji, and but because Hinata was next in line for the crown, Neji did not have to marry a princess, so they could be together.

"Sure, whatever you say Tenten." Hinata whispered softly.

Tenten rolled her eyes and suddenly stood up straight as the messenger boy came in.

"The King and Queen wish to speak with you, Lady Hinata."

"I-I will be right there." She said nervously. Hinata walked slowly and stiffly after him into the foyer, where her parents were waiting. "Yes Father, Mother?" She asked. Her father gave her a stern look and Hinata stared at the floor, as usual.

"Hinata. You are twenty-two years old! Why have you not married?" He practically yelled at her. She flinched back and looked pleadingly at her mother. Sadly, her mother was just standing there; she couldn't stand up to the King either.

"I-I haven't found…the right one."

"HAVEN"T FOUND THE RIGHT ONE?!?!" He roared. "I DON'T CARE IF HE'S THE 'RIGHT ONE' YOU _MUST _MARRY!" He calmed down slightly and continued. "This is sudden, I know, but you are a _princess_ for god's sake! And I'll be damned if I don't marry you off so Neji will proceed you! You _will _marry someone by Master Sasuke of Konaha's coronation!" He turned and was about to storm off, but then spun around and said, "_AND,_ if you do not marry, I _will _marry you off to Master Sasuke!" Then he swept himself from the room.

Her mother hurried forward and hugged Hinata.

"I'm so sorry, Hinata. His mind is made up." She whispered.

"It's ok Mother. I have to get married sometime; this might be good for me." The Queen stepped back and looked her in the eyes. She ran a finger across Hinata's cheek and sighed, then followed the King. Hinata went up to her room,

and cried.

_________________________________________________________________

**There it is! I don't really like this chapter, I might revise it sometime. Sorry I used 'marry' SO many times. Please review and stuff!**


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter Four_

**SO sorry it's been like a month since I've updated, I was finishing my other stories. So anyway, in this chapter is mostly going to be about Sasuke trying to deal with the news, and maybe some Neji/Tenten. Please R&R! I really want some advice!**

_________________________________________________________________

**Uchiha Mansion Forest**

**Sasuke POV**

After running for awhile, I collapsed, exhausted, on a rock next to the creek. I stared at the water, trying not to think about anything, but the thoughts kept swirling though my head. _Married….Hinata….a week…_

Who was I going to marry? Hinata was OK, but not the one I wanted to spend my life with. I wanted a girl with her own opinion who wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Hinata, she was smart and I knew she had her opinion, but I'm not the one she would have to guts to tell it to. So, _what_ was I going to do?

"Sasuke! Sasuke!" Naruto came panting up to me. "I-knew-you'd be out here. You-always come-out here when-you're upset."

I smiled. He could be an idiot sometimes, but he was my best friend, and he knew me the best. He sat next to me on the rock. "Hey, I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could say…but all I can come up with is, maybe you'll find the right girl at your ball thing."

"Maybe, but how would I get her to marry me less than a week after meeting her? My father would accept us being engaged when I turn 22, but not just seeing her." Naruto snorted.

"_Please,_ half the girls in the town want you to marry them, and the other half wants to marry you!" I laughed at the difference, and then when the look on Naruto's face said he didn't know what was funny, I laughed again.

"Yeah, maybe you're right; it's my only chance of not having to be with Hinata."

"What's so wrong with her, anyway?" Naruto asked, and then he blushed. I smirked. Oh yeah, that's right, all the times My family went to something at the Hyuuga Mansion, Naruto went with us, and he would always stare at Hinata adoringly and grin stupidly when she blushed.

"You like her." I said simply. He blushed again.

"N-no way! She's a princess anyway…" He stammered out.

"You know what?" I said, putting my arm around his should, staring at the sky, "If your plan works, and I get married to someone else and become king, I'm getting rid of all these dumbass rules…_including_ the princes and princesses only in royal marriages." I laughed when Naruto grinned and blushed at the same time.

&&&&&

**Hyuuga Mansion**

**Tenten POV**

I felt bad for Hinata, having to marry that jerk Uchiha. She had come running into her room in tears, and just when I was going to comfort her, the head main (I call her fatass) came in and said I _had_ to go and _wash_ the _dishes_. So here I am. My fingers were just about to get pruny, when two strong pairs of arms wrapped around my waist. I looked back and smiled with joy. Neji!

He lightly kissed me on the lips and led me out into the garden. We had been friends for several years, and dating for 3. There were many times I had hoped he would propose, but I wasn't so sure anymore. Neji led me to a stone bench in the middle of the garden, we were completely surrounded by roses.

"I can't stay long, the head maid will get mad at me for leaving." I said sadly. He leaned in close to me.

"Well maybe I'll just have to tell her I couldn't stand to be away from you." He said, kissing me again. We sat down on the bench and he took a deep breath. I knew what that meant, bad news.

"Tenten," He started.

"What?"

"I-I _was_ going to…" He reached into his pocket, and pulled out…a ring. I gasped, I was about to yell YES!! but then I realized…_was?_ "Because of what happened this morning…"

"The marriage thing?" I asked, not quite seeing where this was going.

"Yes." He sighed. "If Hinata….if she doesn't marry, I-I…." He stuttered. I gasped again, but this time in realization.

"No! No please-It can't be!" I cried out. He stared at the ground, and then nodded. When he brought his head back up, his eyes were clouded.

"If Hinata doesn't get married, I will…succeed her, and I will have to marry…a princess." Tears started streaming from my eyes.

"NOO!" I sobbed. "_Why! Neji, I-I"_ We couldn't get married…I would never see him again…he would marry some tramp and kiss her…and love her….

"I'm so sorry Tenten, if only I had asked yesterday, before this whole business..." He said.

"No, don't blame yourself, its not your fault." I sobbed again. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close.

"N-no matter what, Tenten…" He drew back and looked me in the eye. "I will _always_ love you." I sniffed and smiled lightly, warmth spreading though me.

"And I will always love you."

_I know it might make her scared, but Hinata MUST get married, _I thought. _If she doesn't, it will ruin both of our lives._

_________________________________________________________________

**Well there it is! Kind of a dramatic ending, and sorry it's so short, most of these probably will be. Hope you liked it! Chapter 5 coming, eventually!~Jamie**


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter Five_

**Again, very sorry for the long update, but here it is!! Thanks to everyone who reviewed/made something a favorite!**

_________________________________________________________________

**Haruno Manor Kitchen**

**No One POV**

"Hey, Sakura!! Guess what?!" Ino called as she ran into the kitchen. "Prince Sasuke Uchiha is having a ball!!! And he invited everyone in this village!!!" Ino came running up to her and showed her the envelope addressed to the whole house.

"It says he's looking for someone to _marry?!"_ She asked, completely surprised. "I thought he had to marry a princess!" Ino grinned and said, "His parents really want him to get married, so anything goes! As long as his parents approve, ANY girl could marry him! Even…say a poor orphaned kitchen cook?" She giggled and winked at Sakura.

Sakura rolled her eyes and looked down at the letter. "There's no _way_ Prince Sasuke would choose _me._ As if I wanted him to anyway."

"You _don't_ want to marry him?! EVERY girl does! If I didn't have my yummy Shika, I would too!" Ino whispered and shouted at the same time.

"I just don't want to marry a stuck-up prince-INO! This is addressed to Anko and the evil twins! We can't go! They are going wonder why they didn't get this!" Sakura yelled, glaring at Ino.

"Hey! Calm down! I got this from Karen's room! I was there when they got their invitations, and with that mess of a room, she won't notice that it's gone anyway!"

"Alright then how about _this! IT'S A WEEK AWAY!_ HOW will we get dresses and be able to leave without anyone noticing??"

Ino was silent "…I have no idea…" She whispered.

But then, with determination, she said, "but we'll find a way!"

Sakura rolled her eyes, but then looked at the paper again. It would be nice to go…

"Fine, if you can find us a way, I'll go." She said firmly.

_________________________________________________________________

**Tadaa! Even shorter than the last one, but I'll try to update sooner! Tell me what you think of it!!**

**~Jamie**


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter Six_

_________________________________________________________________

**Hyuuga Mansion**

**Hinata POV**

I cried and cried, but then when I woke up, I realized I didn't want to cry anymore. I wanted to solve this, but how? Sasuke Uchiha, I could barely remember him, he just seemed like another guy my parents shoved me at, not one that could amount to _husband_. I tried to think of whom I wanted as my husband, but when I put Sasuke's face in my mind, his hair changed to blonde, and his eyes turned blue. Somewhere in the back of my mind that head was recognized, but I couldn't remember who that man was.

But what if he was a prince? Maybe one I met so long ago I forgot about him? Even though, considering how my heart sped up, my cheeks reddened, I may be… in love with him. Maybe if I found him, I could marry him even before this stupid ball happened! My heart filled with hope, I hurried down the stairs into the library, where a record of all the Queens and Kings and Princes and Princesses in all the lands all around here, he must be in here somewhere!

***

After several hours of looking, I couldn't find ANYTHING. All of the royals had portraits of themselves in here. That must mean, he's not a prince…who knows, maybe he doesn't exist, he's just some guy I came up with in my mind.

Now I have to go to Sasuke's ball… When is it anyway? 6 days. 8 until the 'wedding' now matter what, I will get married.

***

I was lying, depressed on my bed when Mother came in. She smiled a worried smile and said, "Come on honey, please, lets go dress shopping!"

"What dress?" I asked, but I knew the answer.

"Wedding…" She said nervously.

"…I..." I didn't want to say something mean, but I really didn't want to go dress shopping. _But what about the blonde man? What if you missed him and he really is a prince? Don't you want to have a dress already so you can spend all your time with him?_ Something in the back of my mind told me that, and I believed it.

"Ok, let's go."

***

And hour later at the tailor's, I had found such a beautiful dress I instantly forgot about how much I hadn't wanted the marriage. I danced around the shop, spinning and leaping, my mother smiled at me, so glad I was happy.

I looked at myself in the mirror and realized for once in my life, I might just be as beautiful as Tenten…

_________________________________________________________________

**Hi! Extremely slow update… But anyway, did you like it? Kinda just a look at Hinata, since there hasn't been anything about her for awhile. Does anyone know who the mysterious stranger is who Hinata can't completely remember is? :) Please review! Next chapter, sometime!**

**~Jamie**


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter Seven_

**Hi, in this chapter I'm going to do my best to have all of the people have a say. Please review and tell me ideas for what you think the dresses the girls wear should look like!**

* * *

**7 Days Until the Ball**

**Konaha Dress Shop**

**No One POV**

Sakura sighed as she looked around the small store filled with multicolored fabrics, shining and sparkling. Ino seemed perfectly at ease, swaying though the isles, selecting a dress with a glance and taking to the dressing room. Shikamaru was content just to be watching Ino, his love for her apparent in his eyes, enough for all the times he never shows it.

'_Why did I let Ino talk me into coming here? There is nothing for me, and even in the least expensive store the prices make me wince.' _ Sakura thought, glaring at Shikamaru. This wasn't the first time Sakura was jealous of Ino's easy life, she and Shikamaru were getting paid, not a lot, but enough that one day they could leave that stupid house and spend their lives together. Sakura was stuck there, maybe forever, and she didn't even have a boyfriend to make her life worth it.

Prince Sasuke…Nah.

'_I still can't believe Ino was even able to make it that we could get here." _ Sakura smiled at how Ino had completely duped Anko and the evil twins.

_Mere seconds after Sakura had agreed to go to the ball, Anko burst into the kitchen screaming. "A Ball!!! Prince Sasuke is having a ball, and he has invited ME!!" She yelled happily. Karen and Mimi shoved their way in past her. _

"_I was invited too, Mom!" Karen complained._

"_Yeah, and me too!" Mimi squealed._

"_And __**I**__ shall be the one he marries!" Karen declared, then stormed up to Sakura and demanded a yogurt. Mimi bounced up behind her and said, "Not if he chooses to marry me!"_

"_Well you both are being imbeciles! I'm quite sure he would rather spend his life with an older, more sophisticated women, like myself." Anko purred, snatching away a sandwich a kitchen maid had been about to give to her dog, and took a big bite out of it. "And besides, before any of us shall impress Prince Sasuke, we must buy our dresses!" Ino saw her chance, and carefully stepped forward, hoping not to be mistaken as some of the food they were devouring._

"_Madam Anko, there are __**so**__ many dress shops, why don't you have Sakura, myself, and Shikamaru go look through the shops and write down which ones would have gowns that would please you?" Ino said charmingly._

_All the cooks and maids and dishwashers in the kitchen stopped to look at Ino, it might have seemed like such a small thing to ask for, but no servant in the entire history of the house had ever been allowed to simply leave the house for their own purposes. (Everyone had heard Ino's announcement and knew what she was planning, except of course for the two fat girls eating yogurt that had chocolate mixed in –thanks to Ino- and the old lady eating a maid's dog's food.)_

"_Good idea….um, servant girl, you three go do that" Anko said, not looking up from the dog food sandwich, which she was falling in love with._

While Sakura was remembering this, Ino had slowly walked up to her and showed her a gown. It was silk, shining in the fairly dark store, it sparked, even though it didn't have sequins or glitter. Sakura could easily imagine herself in it, sashaying around a ballroom, on the arm of a handsome dark haired man.

Ino smiled at the look of pure happiness that crossed Sakura's face.

"It…it's _beautiful_."

***

**5 Days Until the Ball**

**Hyuuga Mansion**

**No One POV**

Hinata was fairly happier; she had found the wedding dress of her dreams and a lovely one for the ball. Her heart sped faster at the thought of the mysterious stranger who filled her dreams and made her smile.

Tenten knocked on her door and slowly entered, she didn't want to do this, but she felt she had to tell Hinata.

"Hi, Tenten." Hinata whispered, blushing at being caught swooning.

"Lady Hinata, I-I don't mean to force you, not at all, but…if you don't take the throne…." Tenten stuttered out, pausing when a dark look passed over Hinata's face. "Um…well, a new leader would be appointed, the next in line…"

"Yes, I am well aware of that." Hinata said stiffly, easily shifting into a more queenly way of speaking when she realized where this conversation was going.

"It's just that….Neji would be appointed…."

Realization dawned on Hinata face. "So, Tenten, you are saying that you are concerned for your welfare with Prince Neji if he were to be the one to take the throne, am I correct?" She said her voice hardening. '_She only cares for herself! She believes that as long as she is happy, it doesn't matter if I'm forced into a loveless marriage!'_

"It is partly that My Lady, but I also know, that you are a strong person. And you will find a way to marry the one you want. I love Prince Neji with all my heart, but he is willing to submit to his parent's wishes and do what they want, not what is best for the kingdom. Just from speaking with you, I know you would be a fine Queen, a wonderful ruler." Tenten smiled at her; there was obvious truth in everything she said.

'_I'm the one who only cares for herself.' _ "Thank you, Tenten."

Tenten started to walk out the door, but she stopped herself and said, "Oh yes, the King and Queen wanted me to tell you that the King and Queen of Konaha are sending servants here tomorrow to bring gifts and to be here for service for our trip to the Sound Village in three days."

Hinata nodded and Tenten left. Hinata collapsed on her bed. '_It's really happening, these few days I've just been hoping that something will make it not happen. And if I can't I will ruin everyone's lives, my parents, Tenten and Neji's, the whole village! And for what? It's not like my life would be any better not married to Sasuke.' _ The face of that man appeared in her mind's eye once again. '_He's not real, he's just someone I came up with, that I can't have.'_

She was trying to convince herself of this, and it wasn't working.

***

**5 Days until the Ball**

**Uchiha Mansion**

**No One POV**

It hadn't taken Sasuke long to realize that there was no princess he could get married to, become king, get rid of the no marrying between peasants and royalty, so then Naruto and Hinata could get married, because the only princess _was_ Hinata. So he had spent the last 3 days studying in the library, trying to see if a prince could change laws. No luck so far. A scribe came up to him and bowed.

"Hello Scribe." Sasuke said.

"Greetings Prince Sasuke, is there anything I can do to help you?" He asked in a quiet voice.

"No, thank you…um…"

"Shino, Prince."

"Ah, thank you, Shino…" Sasuke thought about it, despite this man's hood which covered half of his face, he seemed very trustworthy. "Well, I could use some help, I think you have heard of my upcoming ball, and…m..."

"Marriage? Yes I have, in fact."

"Well, my parents have sent out invitations to all the girls in the village, saying I am taking a bride, they are not at all planning to let me marry any of them, oh course, so they are completely unwilling to eliminate the no present/royal marriage rule. But I was hoping that _I_ could abolish that rule myself."

Shino nodded, thinking. "I understand, but I'm wondering, why send out invitations for women to come, thinking you are intending to marry one of them?"

"Mostly so they can find wives for lesser royals, my cousins and younger brother, and so there are more guests. And, very slightly, if Hinata ends up marrying a prince from a very far away kingdom, they need a backup wife, but I don't want to make that my only chance."

"May I speak freely, Prince Sasuke?" Shino asked, and when Sasuke wearily nodded, he said. "No offense to you or the Royal Highnesses, but they sound like jackasses." The Sasuke's morbid face was broken with a loud laugh, getting him shushed by the Librarian, who blushed when she realized she had shushed the future king. "And I'm not positive, but I think there is a scroll somewhere about a princess who changed a law and how she did it."

Sasuke smiled. "Thank you so much."

A few hours of searching later had led the two no where, so they decided to give up for the day. Sasuke, exhausted and stiff, went into the village to take a walk in the cool evening air. He passed several stores, and didn't stop until he reached his favorite one. Owned by Naruto's parents, the Konaha Dress Shop used to be the happiest place in the world when he was younger. He had visited it with Naruto almost everyday, before the King decided it was time Sasuke acted like a prince.

He carefully stepped inside, admiring the small shop, remembering everything from years ago. "Sasuke!" A woman's voice cried and Naruto's mother came running up to him. She grabbed him in a bear hug and scolded him for not coming around sooner. Sasuke smiled, loving how she didn't treat him like a prince. Suddenly two girls and guy appeared behind a dress rack, looking at him in wonder. '_Damn, she has costumers.'_ Sasuke thought. He stood there, waiting for the girls to act all slutty fangirl like, but they didn't. The blonde giggled and whispered in the pink haired girl's ear, making her blush. Pinkhair then shrugged, and they both went back to their shopping, the blonde holding the guy's hand.

Sasuke couldn't help it; this was a big insult to his pride. So when Naruto's mother left to go help a different girl, Sasuke followed after them.

"So what do you think of this one, Shika?" The blonde asked, modeling a dress for the guy.

"I think Shikamaru shouldn't say anything in the interest of you not killing him, Ino." Pinkhair said. Ino laughed and shrugged, grabbed another dress, and went into the dressing room.

_That girl, Ino, and Shikamaru must be dating. But who is that other girl? I can't stop staring._ Slowly Sasuke made himself walk away, but he couldn't help glancing once more at the beautiful pinkette with the bright green eyes.

***

**Road to Sound Village**

**No One POV**

Because it would take so long to get to the Sound Village, the King and Queen of the Konaha had the servants leave during the evening on the day before they were to arrive. Naruto yawned on the back of his horse; he didn't see what use they could be over there. As he started to doze off, a beautiful girl's face filled his mind.

_Hinata…._

Suddenly the horse snorted and bounced slightly, startling Naruto awake with a gasp. The other servants chuckled at him.

It was early morning by the time they arrived, too early for most of the castle to be awake. As they were let inside, their only welcome party was the other servants of that castle. Naruto admired the flowing plains and rivers, the kind of thing that wasn't so abundant in the Sound Village.

The castle was smaller than Konaha's, but its smallness had a quaint feel, and all the walls were decorated with beautiful tapestries. As Naruto handed a sack of cakes, a gift from his Queen, to a kitchen maid, he happened to glance up at a beautiful dark haired girl in a nightgown, not something any girl should want to be seen in unless by her husband, so Naruto blushed. And then, when he recognized the girl mostly hiding behind a wall, he smiled.

_Hinata…._

_**Princess **__Hinata…_

**Hinata POV**

It-It's _him!_ The mysterious man! He _is_ real! He's right there, looking even better than I imagined!

His name dawned upon me, and right before my heart would soar so high that I would fly down the stairs into the arms of a stranger, who was not a stranger to my heart, I realized something else.

_Naruto…_

_**Servant **__Naruto…_

* * *

**Wala! 10 pages on my word document! Did you love it? Hate it? Tell me! R-e-v-i-e-w!! **

** ~Jamie**


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter Eight_

**Bonjour! Here it is! This one will mostly be Naruto/Hinata, and Shika/Ino. Please, review!!!!! Ideas for the dresses and ideas for stuff to happen would really be appreciated, it would help me update quicker! ~~~ = change in time *** = change in place/person**

* * *

**5 Days Until the Ball**

**Hyuuga Mansion**

**Naruto POV**

I stared up at the beautiful girl as her eyes widened and she gasped. Does she recognize me? I wondered. But then all of a sudden, her amazing eyes got watery and she turned away and hurried out of sight. My shoulders sagged as I carried the sack into the kitchen. What could it be? Did I do something wrong?

I sighed and finished bringing things in.

I walked out into the garden, after walking around the castle for 30 minutes I was tired, so I decided to rest on the side of the fountain. As I looked at the clear sky and the roses surrounding my vision and the bubbling of the fountain….I relaxed, and as my eyes closed….a face…._princess…my princess?_

***

**Hinata POV**

After spending twenty minutes staring out the window, trying not to think about Naruto, I decided to go out to the garden, I could always relax there.

And who do I find, sleeping like an angel on my favorite fountain? He was snoring ever so slightly, his muscular chest rising gently. I really should have walked away right then, gone to one of the other fountains, but all of a sudden, I was creeping towards the spiky haired blonde.

I quietly leaned over him, unable to resist gazing at that face. All of a sudden, he let out an adorable snort, shifted around, and before I could move, he opened those beautiful sexy blue eyes.

***

**Naruto POV**

I must still be dreaming… Hinata is standing over me, her violet eyes glowing bright with surprise. I smiled at her sleepily and sat up, she quickly backed away. Suddenly I realized: this isn't a dream, in my dreams I would have been kissing her by now. My face hot, I stood up, bowed, and said "Excuse me, Princess."

As I was walking away, she called after me. "Wait."

The voice of an angel.

***

**Ino POV**

After going to buy Sakura her pretty dress and seeing the sexy Prince Sasuke at the store (which had taken us two days of searching to find) and getting away with it all by telling the three bitches the worst stores we had found, I was feeling really brave. So as I was sneaking out the side door in the kitchen, I pulled Shika out with me. We sat under the big tree and discussed work and money and what to do about the ball, how we would get there….

Soon I was so bored, I leaned up against him and pouted. He didn't even _look_. Feeling that I probably looked really gross from working in the kitchen all day, I started scooting away.

Suddenly he reached over, wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me in, kissing me sweetly.

When we stopped to breathe he mumbled, "You aren't very subtle."

***

**Hyuuga Mansion**

**No One POV**

Hinata blushed and stumbled forward to Naruto, almost tripping over the cobblestones. "No…um, you don't need to go, you were here first…."

Naruto smiled that easy smile again, "As you wish, my lady." He said, bowing. She blushed again.

***

Shikamaru and Ino leaned up against the old oak tree, and Shikamaru remembered their first date.

_Shikamaru had been laying outside, under that same pale, knotted oak tree 2 years before, staring at the clouds. Suddenly Ino came up and sat next to him. _

"_You know, you don't have to be so shy." She said._

"_What?" He said, trying to notice how lovely her perfume was._

"_You are __**so**__ shy, I mean, you've liked me all this time, and you never do anything about it. I think you really should try." _

"_And why are you telling me to do this? How do you know if I like you? And why are you telling me to ask __**you **__out?" _ 'And here I was thinking I was so smart and no one could tell my feelings. Damn.'

_She pouted and started to stand up. "Well DON'T then."_

_Quickly realizing he better fix this, Shikamaru grabbed her hand and pulled her down, mistakenly right on him, her stomach against him, her laying sideways._

"_So," He wheezed, her elbow was right on his kidney, "Would you like to go out with me, Ino?" She grinned and rolled over, pulling him up with her._

"_Why Shikamaru! What a surprise! I would love to!" He couldn't help but grin too._

'**What**___have I gotten myself into?'_

***

"So Naruto, what is it like in the Uchiha castle?" Hinata asked a few minutes later, have they had relaxed only slightly enough to be about to sit next to each other on the fountain's base.

"It has more forests and plains; I think I might like it better here slightly." _'Because of you'_ "And the village is smaller, which I think gives it a bit of quaintness." Naruto said thoughtfully.

"I do love it here, but sometimes I wish I could just leave for awhile, a vacation from the same thing everyday." Hinata sighed.

"I know what you mean, I have the same thing as well, but I suppose eventually I have the possibility of getting away from this life someday."

"Oh yes, thank you for acknowledging my life will go nowhere, though yours will." Hinata blushed once again as she spoke more freely.

"You get to leave eventually," Naruto said, not noticing her blush. "When you get _married." _ His last words were resentful.

Hinata glanced at him, confused. "Is everything alright, Naruto?" She asked, trying not to think about how she had been hoping he was the one she would marry.

"Oh, no, my Lady." He mumbled, still lost in his own thoughts.

"NARUUUUTOOOOOOOOOOO!" Shrieked the unmistakable voice of the head chef at Konaha Mansion, Tsunade.

He sighed and stood up. "Well, I had best hurry to see whatever it is that old drunk needs me to do." Naruto turned and bowed to Hinata. "Good bye, my Lady." He said.

"Goodbye…um, may haps we shall she each other here tomorrow?" She asked, once again blushing, not seeing him again soon felt impossible. He smiled his wonderful smile and bowed.

"As you wish, Princess Hinata."

Even though Tsunade seemed ready to beat him upside the head, considering how loud she was shouting, Naruto could help smiling.

_Of course I would know her name, her being the princess and all, but I never told her mine, and yet she knew it anyway. She must have been thinking about me!_


End file.
